I hope that someone gets my [digital] message in a bottle.
October 15, 2014 3:32 PM Subscribe
I was on vacation this summer and found a bottle washed up with a message inside. We've finally deciphered the message and now have an email address to contact! What would be a quirky, cute way to respond?
Basically, the note was several years old and had faded into nothing. Luckily, the author of the note wrote firmly, so we were able to eventually read the note from the impressions on the paper. I would love to send back a fun message to the original sender, but I would like for them to have a bit of a challenge too. The only thing is - I don't want my message to be too complicated to read or too easy that it isn't cute anymore. I've done some Googling, but it doesn't look like I'm querying the right words because I'm coming up with nothing.
Basically, the note was several years old and had faded into nothing. Luckily, the author of the note wrote firmly, so we were able to eventually read the note from the impressions on the paper. I would love to send back a fun message to the original sender, but I would like for them to have a bit of a challenge too. The only thing is - I don't want my message to be too complicated to read or too easy that it isn't cute anymore. I've done some Googling, but it doesn't look like I'm querying the right words because I'm coming up with nothing.
I'd go with a nice, simple "You have won the game" because that is just awesome.
posted by RainyJay at 3:39 PM on October 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by RainyJay at 3:39 PM on October 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
You could do a simple letter substitution cryptogram. Those are fun and easy!
posted by phunniemee at 3:39 PM on October 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by phunniemee at 3:39 PM on October 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Oh, and make sure to include a picture of yourself holding the bottle!
posted by phunniemee at 3:41 PM on October 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 3:41 PM on October 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
Email them an mp3 of Message in a Bottle by the Police.
posted by 724A at 3:43 PM on October 15, 2014 [19 favorites]
posted by 724A at 3:43 PM on October 15, 2014 [19 favorites]
Play 20 questions of where in the world you ended up finding the bottle.
posted by vienna at 3:45 PM on October 15, 2014 [10 favorites]
posted by vienna at 3:45 PM on October 15, 2014 [10 favorites]
Some sort of simple encoding of that latitude/longitude/date/time you found the bottle, e.g.
+DC.BEGGD -IA.HDIHG CABE-BA-BF BI:FJ
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 3:59 PM on October 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
+DC.BEGGD -IA.HDIHG CABE-BA-BF BI:FJ
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 3:59 PM on October 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
A picture of you holding the bottle where you found it, preferable.
And if you have any musical friends, record a version of Message in a Bottle - doesn't have to be slick, just get the chords and wail away.
posted by Sebmojo at 4:31 PM on October 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
And if you have any musical friends, record a version of Message in a Bottle - doesn't have to be slick, just get the chords and wail away.
posted by Sebmojo at 4:31 PM on October 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
I don't think you should make it too cryptic, or they'll think it's spam and won't pay it any attention. Something like Vienna's suggestion would be fun, because you can state straight off that the email is about the message in the bottle, but still give them a fun puzzle afterwards.
posted by lollusc at 5:16 PM on October 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by lollusc at 5:16 PM on October 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
"We were wondering how much you look like Kevin Costner?"
Though references to the song work too, I think.
posted by Michele in California at 8:00 PM on October 15, 2014
Though references to the song work too, I think.
posted by Michele in California at 8:00 PM on October 15, 2014
How fun!
The one thing you have to keep in mind is that nowadays, depending on what e-mail server you use, most messages go directly to spam if it is a new e-mail address you are receiving e-mail from. You might need to think o f a subject line that would not be sent to spam, or a subject line that would stand out from all the "enlarge your penis" e-mails when the recipient goes to look through their scam folder real quick (if they even do that)... but I think that should be your biggest concern about how to contact this person.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 8:44 PM on October 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
The one thing you have to keep in mind is that nowadays, depending on what e-mail server you use, most messages go directly to spam if it is a new e-mail address you are receiving e-mail from. You might need to think o f a subject line that would not be sent to spam, or a subject line that would stand out from all the "enlarge your penis" e-mails when the recipient goes to look through their scam folder real quick (if they even do that)... but I think that should be your biggest concern about how to contact this person.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 8:44 PM on October 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Yep, something like "you won" or a gibberish code message would likely be picked up by spam unfortunately. I like Vienna's suggestion and a photo.
posted by pravit at 6:19 AM on October 16, 2014
posted by pravit at 6:19 AM on October 16, 2014
E-mail a photo of the bottle in front of a newspaper that had the date showing. In the e-mail, write "We have your bottle. It will stay in one piece if you send us amusing kitten videos. Otherwise, you're start receiving photos of glass shards. Come across with the cuteness or the bottle gets it!"
posted by stray thoughts at 10:57 AM on October 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by stray thoughts at 10:57 AM on October 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kmr at 3:37 PM on October 15, 2014